What happened
On 27 August 2002, a Cessna 152, registration ZS-KEO, was involved in a landing accident at Port Elizabeth aerodrome. The aircraft, operated by Algoa Flying Club, was being flown by a student pilot during a solo training flight. The flight was intended to be a circuit around the aerodrome, departing from and returning to the same location.
During the landing phase on Runway 26, the pilot performed a flare that was too late, causing the aircraft to bounce off the runway surface. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot tried to flare again for a second landing attempt, but the aircraft bounced into the air once more. To correct the resulting nose-high attitude, the pilot pushed the control column forward while simultaneously applying power. This maneuver caused the aircraft to strike the runway with significant force on its nose gear. The impact led to the failure of the nose-gear fork and subsequent damage to the propeller. There were no injuries reported, and the aircraft came to a stop in the center of the runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the student's first solo circuit. Investigators reviewed the maintenance records for the aircraft, which showed that the plane had been properly maintained, with the most recent periodic inspection completed in July 2002. The investigation also confirmed that the pilot held a valid license and that the weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear with good visibility (CAVOK).
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the student pilot's use of inappropriate technique to recover from a landing bounce.
- The initial bounce was triggered by an untimely flare during the first landing attempt.
- The application of power and forward elevator input during the second bounce resulted in a heavy impact on the nose gear.